String Bands and Instrumentals - Historic Recordings

In Appalachia, early instrumental music was the domain of the fiddler. Playing reels and waltzes, the fiddler accompanied the community as it danced. By the end of the 19th century, the fiddle and banjo were often heard together. String bands − often a combination of fiddle, banjo, guitar, and mandolin – became popular at the beginning of the 20th century. Here we present a sampling of both sting bands and individual instruments from the collections of the Archives of Appalachia.